Signs And Places

Αποστραφήτωσαν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ εἰς τὸν ᾅδην πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐπιλανθανόμενα τοῦ θεοῦ. ̓Αποστραφήτωσαν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοί, οἱ πολεμίων δίκην ἐπιτιθέμενοι, εἰς τὸν ᾅδην. ἑρμηνεύων δὲ τίνες οἱ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἐπήγαγεν ὡς τὰ ἐπιλανθανόμενα ἔθνη τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσιν. ἁμαρτωλοὺς δὲ καὶ ἔθνη οὐκ ἀνθρώπους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσάρκους δυνάμεις ἐκλαβεῖν δεῖ. εἰ γὰρ μὴ σημαίνει οὐσίαν ἀλλὰ ποιὸν ἡ ἁμαρτωλὸς φωνή, παρωνυμία οὐσα ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, πάντα τὸν μετέχοντα ἁμαρτίας οὕτως ὀνομαστέον. Kαταλλήλως τούτοις καὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἐκλήψει. ὥσπερ δὲ οὐκ ὤν τις ἐν οὐρανῷ τοπικῶς, ἔτι ἐπὶ γῆς περιπατῶν, δύναται ἐκεῖ πολιτείᾳ καὶ νοήσει τυγχάνειν, οὕτω μὴ διατρίβων τις ἐν ᾅδῃ τοπικῶς δύναται σημεῖα φέρειν νεκρότητος καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν, ὡς οἰκεῖν αὐτὸν τὸν ᾅδην ἥδη καίτοι ὄντα ἐν τῇ μετὰ σώματος ζωῇ. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμος Θ' Source: Migne PG 39.1197a-b

Sinners are turned to hell, all the peoples who are not mindful of God. 1 Sinners are turned, in the likeness of a horde, to hell, So saying that they are 'sinnners', he goes on then to speak of 'peoples', and not only men should be understood here but also immaterial powers. For if the word 'sinner' does not signify substance but quality, which name is derived from 'sin', in like manner you should think 'peoples' to be named. And as he who is not yet placed in the heavens because he yet walks on the earth, yet by his conduct and thought may be there, so he who is not yet established in the infernal places is able to bear signs of his death and wickedness, as if he even now dwelt in hell, even if he yet lives in the body. 2 Didymus the Blind, Commentary on The Psalms, from Psalm 9 1 Ps 9.18 2 cf Philip 3.19-20